The Distal Free Achilles Tendon Is Longer in People with Tendinopathy than in Controls: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Objectives. The free Achilles tendon is defined as the region of distal to soleus which “unbuttressed,” i.e., unsupported by muscular tissue. We reasoned that a relative lack buttressing could place at greater risk for developing tendinopathy. Therefore, our primary goal was compare length between those with midportion or insertional tendinopathy and healthy controls. Design. This retrospective case-control study. Setting. Hospital in Vancouver, Canada. Participants. 66 cases (25 insertional, 41 midportion) consecutively drawn from hospital database within 5-year period matched controls (without tendinopathy) based on sex, age, weight. Main outcome measures. Odds ratio given tendon, anatomically MRI, after adjustment confounders. Results. MRI-defined statistically significant predictor having (odds = 0.53, 95% confidence interval 1.13 2.07). Midportion had significantly longer tendons (Mdn 51.2 mm, IQR 26.9 mm) compared 40.8 20.0 mm), p = 0.007 . However, there no difference lengths AT 47.9 15.1 39.2 17.9 id="M2"> 0.158 Free also correlated thickness among tendinopathy, rτ 0.25, id="M3"> 0 .003 Conclusions. positively associated A may therefore influence development